Switch-operating apparatus.



No. 699,327. Patented May 6, I902.

C. E. JACKSON.

SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 18, 1901.)

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(No Model) Patented May 6, I902.

C. E. JACKSON. SWITCHOPERATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 18, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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CHARLES E. JACKSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-OPERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,327, dated. May 6, 1902. Application filed December 18,1901. Serial No. 86,418. (No model.)

As is well-known, switches onstreet-railways f are now usually operated from the ground or from the front platform of the car, the car being stopped while the switch is being turned.

The object of this invention is the production of a switch that may be operated from the platform of a moving car without stopping for the switch or materially slackening the speed of the car or that may be operated from the ground if for any reason it is desirable to stop the car to permit the operator to dismount.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a track fitted with my improved switch-operating apparatus, showing -'a portion of a car carrying the presser-wheel and its connections. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the switch-operating boxes. Fig. at is a horizontal section through the box containing the shifting-lever, showing the switchtongue in elevation. Fig. 5 is a fragmental view of a car, showing the presser-wheel and its actuating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a modified form of this switch-operating device, showing the same adapted to be operated by the pressure of the foot from a point upon the ground by the side of the track.

This switch-operating apparatus is applicable to the ordinary railway-track, of which side of this box is provided with an integral in the drawings A represents the tractioncollar B and one end with the integral col lars B and B The collar B receives a pipe B of any suitable material, extending from the box to a point adjacent to the switchtongue A Within the box B, I mount upon the fixed stud B the pivotal T-shape lever B, the outer end of the stem of which lever is pivotally connected with a rod B extending to and having pivotal connection with the switch-tongue A The rod B is packed with any suitable material within the pipe B to exclude water from said pipe and from the box B. At the outer ends of the arms forming the transverse portion of the T- shape lever B, I provide openings B and B" to receive rods, to be hereinafter described, for oscillating the lever B upon its pivot, and thereby operating the switch-tongue A Between the rails of the track and in front of the switch I place the two switch-operating boxes 0 and D, both having bases C and D, respectively, extending over and secured in any suitable manner above the upper faces of two ties A, said switch-operating boxes being raised from said ties by the blocks C and D respectively, in order to give room for the placing of the switch-operating mechanism above the ties. Within each of the boxes C and D a tilting plate 0 and D is mounted at one side of the box upon the pivotal support 0 and D", respectively. The pivoted edge of eachof these tilting plates is intended to lie flush with that edge of the box upon which it is mounted; but its opposite edge rises up ward slightly from the opposite side of the box. An integral arm 0 and D extends downward from the under face of each of the plates (3 and D and at its lower end is pro vided with two openings 0 and D. A pipe 0 and 1) extends from each of the switch-op crating boxes C and D to the collars B and B formed on the end of the box B. These pipes are in line with the downwardly-extending arms 0 and D respectively. A rod 0 bent at its end to enter one of the openings in the lower end of the integral arm O 'of the pivoted plate 0 extends from said arm through the pipe 0 into the box B and is there bent to enter the opening B at one extremity of the transverse portion of the pivotal T-shape lever B. A corresponding rod D is similarly connected to the lower end of the arm D in or nearly to the box D. A similar rib D is formed upon the base D of the box D and extends rearward some little distance from said box. To exclude water from the pipes O and D I cover the openings in the upper ends of the switch-operating boxes and D with a sheet of rubber O and D. This rubher is secured in any suitable manner to the upper edge of each of the boxes, as by the frame 0 and D, which frame is intended to be forced downward over said rubber to hold the covering in contact with the sides of the box. This rubber covering is protected by a metallic shoe 0 and D secured to the top of each of the plates 0 and D The covering is left loose enough to permit the pivotal movement of the plate underneath the covering.

The device attached to the car for operating the switch-tongue comprises a presser-wheel E, rotatably mounted in the bifurcated lower end of a rectangular lever E. An arm E extending upward from the rectangular lever E, is attached to a coil-spring E, which tends to hold the presser-wheel E upward toward the car and from contact with the ground. The lever E is pivotally mounted upon the stud 'E, fixed with relation to a portion of the truck of the car. An L shape lever E is pivotally mounted between ears E extending downward from the under side of the platform of the car, and this lever is movable by means of a foot-operated plunger E pivotally connected with one of the arms of the L-shape lever E the upper end of which plunger extends through an opening in said platform. The other arm of the L-shape lever E is connected with the rectangular lever E by means of the rod E vIt will thus be seen that the presser-wheel E may be depressed by the operator when standing upon the front platform of the car by placing his foot upon the upper end of the plunger E The operation of my switch-operating apparatus is as follows: As a car approaches the switch from the forward side thereof the operator moves the tongue of the switch into the desired position by depressing the footplunger E and bringing the presser-wheel E into contact with the proper one of the plates 0 and D If it is desired to move the switchtongue in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. l, to cause the car to turn from the main track, the presser-wheel E is brought into contact with the plate 0 of the switchoperating box 0. The pressure of the wheel E upon said plate moves the plate 0 downward upon its pivot 0 and in moving the plate also moves the arm 0 formed integral therewith. This movement of the arm pulls upon the rod O oscillates the T-shape lever B upon its pivotal support B and through the rod 13' moves the switch-tongue A To move the switch-tongue in the direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, in order to continue the car upon the main track, the presser-Wheel E is brought into contact with the plate D of the switch-operating box D. The depression of this plate moves the integral arm D pulls the connecting-rod D oscillates the T-shape lever B upon its pivot B and pushes the switchtongne A toward the right, Fig. 1. The operator upon a car running from the switch: track onto the main trackmay set the switch to cause the next approaching car to continue upon the main track by moving the presserwheel into contact with the plate D if it is desirable. In other words, the switch may be operated by a car moving either way with relation to the switch-operating boxes 0 and D. In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 the switch-operating boxes 0 and D and their connections are dispensed with, also one arm of the T-shape lever B may be omitted, making said lover a bell-cranklever F. This bellcrank lever F is operated to move the switchtongue in either direction by means of a link connection F with a crank-arm F of an oscillatory shaft F which shaft is caused to oscillate by the pressure of the foot of the op erator upon either side of a T-shape foot-lever F, secured rigidly to said shaft. The oscillatory shaft F is supported in bearings F secured to one of the ties or to a bed-plate. (Not shown.)

By providing three switch-operating boxes similar to those 0 and D a three-way switch may be operated. Both tongues of the threeway switch should be pivotally connected with the stem of the T-shape lever I3, and the switch-tongues should be susceptible of movement into three different positions by the depression of the tilting plates (similar to those 0 and D within the switch-operating boxes.

I am aware that many slight changes may be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, wherefore I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact'details herein shown and described, but claim all such changes and modifications as properly fall within the scope and spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a switch-operating apparatus, in combination, a switch-tongue a pivoted T-shape lever; a rod having a pivotal connection with one arm of said lever and with said switchtongue; a switch-operating box located between the rails of the track; a switch-operating box alined with said first-mentioned switch-operating box and located intermedi- IOO ate said box and said switch-tongue; a plate pivotally mounted near one of its sides in each of said boxes; an arm extending downward from the under side of each of said plates; a rod pivotally connected with the arm of one of said pivoted plates and with one of the arms of said T-shape lever; arod pivotally connected with the arm of the other of said pivoted plates and with the remaining arm of said T-shape lever; and a device carried by the car for moving one of said plates to actuate said T-shape lever to operate said switch-tongue.

2. In a switch-operating apparatus, in combination, a switch-tongue; a pivoted T-shape lever; a rod having a pivotal connection with one arm of said lever and with said switchtongue; a switch-operating box located between the rails of the track; aswitch-operating box alined with said' first mentioned switch-operating box and located intermediate said box and said switch tongue; a plate pivotally mounted near one of its sides in each of said boxes; an arm extending downward from the under side of each of said plates; a rod pivotally connected with the arm of one of said pivoted plates and with one of the arms of said T-shape lever; a rod pivotally connected with the arm of the other of said pivoted plates and with the remaining arm of said T-shape lever; a flexible watertight covering for the upper end of each of said switch-operating boxes; and a device carried by the car for moving one of said plates to actuate said T-shape lever to operate said switch-tongue.

3. In a switch-operating apparatus, in combination, a switch-tongue; a pivoted T-shape lever; a rod having a pivotal connection with one arm of said lever and with said tongue; two alined switch-operatin g boxes between the rails of the track, one of said boxes being located intermediate said switch-tongue and the other of said boxes, each of said boxes having bases for securing them to the ties; a tilting plate pivotally mounted near one of its sides within each of said boxes; an arm extending downward from the under side of ver; a rod forming a pivotal connection between the arm of the other of said tilting plates and the remaining arm of said T-shape lever; a pipe for each of said rods; a pipe for the rod extending between the stem of the T shape lever and said switch-tongue; a packing in said last-mentioned pipe to prevent the ingress of water to said mechanism; and a device carried by the car for moving said plates to actuate said T-shape lever and to operate said switch-tongue.

4:- In a switch-operating apparatus, in combination, a switch-tongue a pivoted T-shape lever; a rod having a pivotal connection with one arm of said lever and with said tongue; two alined switch-operating boxes between the rails of the track, one of said boxes be ing located intermediate said switch-tongue and the other of said boxes, each of said boxes having bases for securing them to the ties; a tilting plate pivotally mounted near one of its sides within each of said boxes; an arm extending downward from the under side of each of said plates; a rod forming a connection between the arm of one of said tilting plates and one of the arms of said T-shape lever; a rod forming a pivotal connection be tween the arm of the other of said tilting plates and the remaining arm of said T-shape lover; a pipe for each of said rods; a pipe for the rod extending between the stem of the T- 'shape lever and said switch-tongue; a pack- Vitnesses:

L. L. MILLER, M. HANSON.- 

